2011 Fianna Fáil leadership election
{{Short description|Political party leadership election in Ireland}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 2011 Fianna Fáil leadership election
| country =
| type = presidential
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 2008 Fianna Fáil leadership election
| previous_year = 2008
| next_election =
| next_year =
| election_date = {{Start date|2011|1|26|df=yes}}
| 1blank = 1st preference
| 2blank = 2nd count
| 3blank = Final count
| image1 = 150x150px
| candidate1 = Micheál Martin
| party1 =
| leaders_seat1 =
| 1data1 = {{Composition bar|33|72|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}}}
| 2data1 = {{Composition bar|36|72|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}}}
| 3data1 = {{Composition bar|50|72|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}}}
| percentage1 =
| image2 = 150x150px
| candidate2 = Éamon Ó Cuív
| party2 =
| leaders_seat2 =
| 1data2 = {{Composition bar|15|72|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}}}
| 2data2 = {{Composition bar|18|72|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}}}
| 3data2 = {{Composition bar|22|72|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}}}
| percentage2 =
| image4 = 150x150px
| colour4 = 0
| candidate4 = Brian Lenihan Jnr
| party4 =
| leaders_seat4 =
| 1data4 = {{Composition bar|14|72|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}}}
| 2data4 = {{Composition bar|18|72|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}}}
| percentage4 =
| candidate5 = Mary Hanafin
| image5 = 150x150px
| party5 =
| leaders_seat5 =
| 1data5 = {{Composition bar|10|72|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}}}
| percentage5 =
| title = Leader
| posttitle =
| before_election = Brian Cowen
| after_election = Micheál Martin
}}
The 2011 Fianna Fáil leadership election was called by party leader Brian Cowen on 22 January 2011, when he announced that he was resigning as president and leader of the party. He remained as Taoiseach until after the 2011 general election.{{cite web |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0122/politics.html |title=Cowen resigns as FF leader, remains Taoiseach |work=RTÉ News |date=22 January 2011 |access-date=22 January 2011}}
The deadline for nominations closed at 1 p.m. on 24 January, and the new leader was elected at a special Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting on 26 January. Micheál Martin was elected as the party's eighth leader.{{cite web |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0126/politics_tracker.html |title=Martin elected FF leader – As it happened |date=26 January 2011 |work=RTÉ News |access-date=26 January 2011}}{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0126/breaking8.html |title=Micheál Martin elected as eighth leader of Fianna Fáil|date=26 January 2011 |newspaper=The Irish Times |access-date=26 January 2011}}
Candidates
=Standing=
- Mary Hanafin – Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/hanafin-plays-the-gender-card-as-she-launches-bid-2508097.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120906004230/http://www.independent.ie/national-news/hanafin-plays-the-gender-card-as-she-launches-bid-2508097.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=6 September 2012 |title=Hanafin plays the gender card as she launches bid |work=Irish Independent |date=24 January 2011 |access-date=24 January 2011 |first=Aine |last=Kerr }}
- Brian Lenihan Jnr – Minister for Finance{{cite web|url=http://www.thejournal.ie/martin-lenihan-put-names-forward-for-ff-leadership-2011-01/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20110810005759/http://www.thejournal.ie/martin-lenihan-put-names-forward-for-ff-leadership-2011-01/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=10 August 2011 |title=Martin, Lenihan put names forward for FF leadership |work=The Journal |date=22 January 2011 |access-date=22 January 2011 }}
- Micheál Martin – Former Minister for Foreign Affairs
- Éamon Ó Cuív – Minister for Social Protection, Minister for Defence and Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/leftie-o-cuiv-confident-of-a-strong-spell-leading-opposition-2508075.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120803155805/http://www.independent.ie/national-news/leftie-o-cuiv-confident-of-a-strong-spell-leading-opposition-2508075.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 August 2012 |title='Leftie' O Cuiv confident of a strong spell leading opposition |work=Irish Independent |date=24 January 2011 |access-date=24 January 2011 |first=Brian |last=McDonald }}
=Declined to stand=
- Conor Lenihan – Minister of State for Science, Technology, Innovation and Natural Resources{{cite web |url=http://www.thejournal.ie/conor-lenihan-decides-not-to-contest-ff-leadership-2011-01/|title=Conor Lenihan decides not to contest FF leadership|work=The Journal|date=23 January 2011 |access-date=24 January 2011}}
Results
Only TDs who were members of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party were eligible to vote. Jimmy Devins rejoined the parliamentary party on 25 January, a day before the leadership election, bringing the total number of eligible voters to 72.{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0125/fiannafail.html |title=FF leadership candidates address party |work=RTÉ News |date=25 January 2011 |access-date=26 January 2011}}
RTÉ News reported that Martin had received 33 first preference votes, compared to Ó Cuív's 15, Lenihan's 14 and Hanafin's 10; it added that the election ended on the third count, with Ó Cuív the runner-up. When Hanafin had been eliminated and her votes redistributed, Ó Cuív and Lenihan were equal on 18 votes each; Lenihan was then eliminated, having received fewer first preferences.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Fianna Fáil}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fianna Fail Leadership Election, 2011}}
Category:2011 elections in the Republic of Ireland
Category:2011 in Irish politics
Fianna Fáil leadership election
Category:Fianna Fáil leadership elections